Apparatus for carbureting air.



G. Y. STUARTpf APPARATUS POR CARBURBTING AIR.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 15, 1914.

Patented July 7, 1914.

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, UNiTEn sTATEs PATENT Ormea.

CHARLES vIvIoivl STU-ART, or MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

' commercial standpoint,

`arPARaTiIs ron CARBURETING AIR.

Licence.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES VrvIoN STUART, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Carbureting Air, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus forh or rapid flame propagation and this with-` out the undesirable soot or carbon residuum ordinarily :incident to the use of crude oil.

The apparatus is especially adapted to carry out the process described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 7 88,718,1iled September 8, 1913.

Certain embodiments of the apparatus are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Briefly stated, the process practised by this apparatus consists in the steps of first vaporizing .the crude oil by the application of heat, andsubsequently mixing air with the crude.oil vapor; passing the resultant a filtering medium, whereby a more intimate mixture is obtained, and whereby any of the heavier and unvolatilized suspended ingredients of the vapor may be extracted. In some vcases I have foundit desirable to the vapor after it has passed the filtering medium, and'in still further instances it has been,found that better results will take place by the addition of air both before and after the mixture has been subjected tothe `filtering medium.

I am aware that, prior to myl invention, certain laboratory work has included the carbureting of air with crude oil vapor in an experimental way. The: explosiveI mixture obtained however, has always beenof such a nature as to render it useless from a due to the-presence of too large a proportion of unvolatilized ingredients. It is my belief that prior to my invention, the presence of suspended in gredients in large quantities, has beendue to the omission of a very material and vital add the air to step in the carbur'eting In the practice of my invention, vaporized in the absence of air, by the application of heat. I then mix the air and crude oil vapor, as hereinafter explained, and pass the mixture at a relatively high velocity into a large filtering or settling chamber in which the mixture is caused to abruptly rise in a vertical direction with a reduced velocity. In this process gravity causes the heavy unvolatilized globules of oil to fall to the bottom of the chamber, ,while the lighter particles pass through the process.

larly pointed out.

Referring to the embodiment of my invention as shown in the drawings forming a part thereof: Figure 1 is a view of my device in sectional'elevation. Fig. 2 is 'a perspective View of one of the conical disks ineluded in the filtering medium. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the flexible diaphragm which closes the top of the tank or container.

In the drawings 1 indicates a tank which may be supplied with crude-oil, or any of said pipe-7 leads into the cyl# inder 3, and

'when the engine is running the exhaust gases serve to heat the coil 4 and the oil contained therein. The dead air space 6 retains the heat andl is very a'dvan` tageous in cases where the engine is allowed to remain 'idle temporarily.

fithin'the' coil 4 the heat and thereafter passes through a continuation of said coil into a pipe 8 which terminates within the tank 9 as shown in Fig. l. Near the is located an airintake pipe 10 provide withl a valve 11v adapted to control the supply of air. The air enters the pipe 8 and intermingles with the oil vapor issuing. from the continuation of the coil 4 and the'combined mixture is thereby carried into the tank 9, `A, valve^12 located in the pipe 10, is

p adapted v.to cut off the supply of air to the Patented July '7, 1914. Application filed .T auary 15, 1914. Serial No. 812,277.

filtering medium, as will be more part1cu the lower grades of hydro-carbon, said tank p the oil is vaporized by` the crude oil is the exhaust pipe Aof the engine lpipe 8. The air and vapor are caused to pass from the bottom of the tank 9 through a filtering medium, comprising two conical,

'n employ a settling tank or chamber 9 whichA p suspension.

opposed, perforated .disks. This ltering medium accomplishes two very important functions. It causes a more .thorough intermingling of the air and oil vapor, as they pass through the interstices of the absorbent material, and also serves to remove any of the heavier unvolatilized particles'held in Furthermore a proportion of the air7 within the filtering medium is absorbed by the mixture, and becomes intermingled therewith. After the mixture passes throughthe filter 13 it is a highly inflammable gas, practically free from unvolatilized ingredients.

The end- 14 of the pipe 8 within the tank 9, is downwardly turned as shown in the drawing. The purpose of this construction is to allow the unvolatilized ingredients or heavy particles carried in suspension, to strike the interior face 14a of the pipe, and drop to the bottom of the tank' 9, thereafter to be carriedV ofil by the pipe 15. The volatile and lighter mixed vapor passes up- -wardly to the filter and' strikes the lower conlcal disk 16, where other unvolatilized ingredients are removed. It is obvious that the passage of the mixture through the porous material in the body of the filter will remove still other unvolatilized ingredients and that the 'resultant vapor will be substantially free from unvolatllized ingredients and thereforein a condition-to pr vide for maximum efficiency. In the preferred form of my apparatu 1s very much larger in diameter than the diameter of the pipe 8, whereby a decrease 'n the velocity of the vapor takes place immediately uponl the vapor passing from .said pipe. Thisconstruction admits of the mixed air and oil vapor 'traveling'- through the pipe at a high speed until it strikes the downwardly turned face 14a, where it is partially atomized. Immediately after the admixture enters into a relatively enlarged space, and hence, since. it is'impelled upwardly by the same force which carried it,

through the pipe 8, its velocity will be greatly reduced. It will be noted that the relatively low velocity allows the hea ingredients to fall through gravity to the settling chamber, before they strike -the lower perforated disk, but the lighter vapors will still be allowed to pass upwardly through the filtering medium, be further relieved of the particles held in suspension, and will reach the motor as a highly inflammable is an additional air inlet pipe 18, provided with a pressure valve and cut-off valve in a manner similar to the pipe 8. A supply pipe 19, having a cut-off valve 20, enters the upper portion of the tank 9, for a purpose hereinafter described. The topl of the tank 9 is closed by a flexible circumferentially corrugated diaphragm 21, adapted to act as a safety cap in case of violent backfiring-of the engine. In case of such backfire, the diaphragm, which is ofy relatively thin material, will be blown ofi' and prevent injury to the. filtering medium. v l

The filtering medium comprises two conical, perforated opposed disks 16, 16 embracing a plurality of fibrous strands. A screw-threaded rod 23 extends through the centers of these disks, the lower portion of said rod being supported by a. spider 24. The upper portion 25 of said splder contains an interiorly screw-,threaded aperture adapted to receive the rod 23. A' hand'- wheel 24a is provided upon the top of the rod, whereby rotation may be imparted thereto and the filtering medium as a whole raised or lowered. v y

The filter 22 is made vertically adjustable so as to adapt it for usewith the heaviest of the hydro-carbon oils. In th'e'use of. the very heavy oils, a larger percentage of. unvolatilized ingredients are held in sus- 95 pension in the tank 9 below the -filter. In such cases'the filter is moved upwardly the result being that the suction of the engine is not so liable to cause the heavier particles in suspension to strike against the lower loy disk 16 and fill the apertures. Nevertheless the ascent of the lighter particles will not be Uretarded. The suction power vof en' gines varies in direct proportion to the diameter, bore and number of the cylinders, 10.3 and the speed thereof. In engineshaving 'l a high suction power the filter 22 is raised the result being that a smaller quantity of vthe heavier suspended ingredients are al- In en- -V lowed to reach the lower disk 16. gines of lower suctionpower the filter may be moved downwardly since'the heavy ingredients will not be drawn upwardly to as greatan extent. The difference in suction power of various engines may be compensated for by varying the quantity of porous material betweenthe cones, as will be readily -understood. It will be observed that the prime object in the provislon of a vertically adjustable filter is to prevent the 12o filling of the apertures of the lower disk 16 and the interstices of the porous material.

If the heavier globules of oil, or unvolatilized ingredients, are allowed to strike the lower disk, they will eventually fill the apertures thereof,.the result being that the lighter particles would either not pass therethrough, or that the heavier ingredients would be drawn up into the porous mate- 130 Y adjustable filter heavier particles rial. In. the latter event the filtering medium would soon become 'saturated and soggy, and, under the aspirations of the motor, would allow the heavier ingredients to be drawn into the combustion chambers, thereby causing the motor to lose its maximum efficiency. By means ofthe vertically I am enabled to vary the distance of travel of the vapor from the bottom of the settling chamber to the lower disk` and hence minimize the chance'of the reachingL said disk. It will therefore be understood that, by varying the height of the filter, I am enabled to insure an adjustment which will prevent the aspirations of the motor from lifting the heavier ingredients as far as the lower disk. It will be obvious that this adjustment will vary in accordance with the lifting power of the motor and the specific gravity of the particular oil being'used, but it will also be understood that the filter may be set to meet any condition which may arise. By this construction I find that the lower portion of the filtering medium is kept barely moist,

'while the upper portion is practically dry.

The inner end of the. pipe 17 isl provided with a screen 26, to prevent back-firing, in a manner which will be clearly manifest.

It is to be understood that the vapor is drawn through practically the entire system by the suction'of theengine. The crude oil y well-known means, preferably by gravity but assisted by suction, to the coil 4, where vaporization takes place and the vapor is drawn by the suction of the engine to the pipe 8. At this point it meets an incoming stream of air induced into the pipe 8,and an intermingli'ng takes place. In a manner the mixture is' .caused to pass upwardly throughthe filter and into the engine.

It will, be observed that the extension 4 ofthe coililf4 withinthe pipe' 8, terminates at a point beyond the entrance of the air intake 10. I havel found that far better results are obtained by this construction. The incoming cold air induced by the suction of the engine strikes the pipe 4:, and is heated, expanded and rarefied, thereby adapting it to more readily. absorb or commingle wit the vapor issuing from the pipe 4a. 'After the engine has run a short length of time the pipe 8 becomes heated and assists in warming the air. It will also be noted that by this construction the cold air is'prevented from striking the oil vapor at an angle. The air travelsalong within the pipe 8 and surrounding the pipe 4" and at the same speed as the vapor in the pipe 4a. At the end of said pipe the rareied air meets the vapor, both traveling at the same speed. It is obvious that, since the molecules of the air and vapor are traveling` in the same direction and at the same speed they more readily cling or coliere,

- been removed by the' wall 'it descends through the pipe 2,

hereinbefore described gine runs until the exhausts heat the oil in termingling is effected.

After the unvolatilized ingredients have 14a, the disks 16, the absorbent material, 22, and by the in the chamber 9, if desired, I may admit a further supply of air by means of the pipe 18. In some cases I have found that an additional supply of air is effective in speeding up the motor and in a saving 0f fuel.-

It is to bevunderstood 'that the elevation of the tank 1 imparts pressure to the oil as coil 4: and outlet 4a. Furthermore, as the oil is heated it expands and increases the pressure, so that` when the downward impulse is augmented by the suction of the engine, the oil vapor strikes the face 1.4a of the pipe with considerable speed. It is obvious that the heavier unvolatilized ingredients would impinge against-the face 14 and drop downwardly, thereby tending to form a ,veil o uiii'olatili'ied ingredients. The mixture' passes through this veil thereby taking such partially unvolatilized molecules as would be provided by the' breaking up ac- 'tion caused by the forcible contact of the ingredients issuing 0from the pipe 4a with the face 14a.' t

In orde-r to initially start the engine after allthe ports are thoroughly cooled I open the valve 20. The pipe 19 leads to a tank or receptacle containinggasolene or any light hydro-carbon. This light Voil is allowed to run upon'the surface of the filter. ing medium, commingles with the air there# in, and, when the engine is cranked the gasolene vapor is drawn in the cylinders and ignited in the usual manner. After the enic, -action of gravity,

the coil 4,th'e valve 20 may be closed and the engine will continue to run by the combination of the commingled air and crude oil vapor.

From the' foregoing it will be readily understood that I first vaporize the crude oil by a heating process, thereafter intermingle the vapor with vair and pass the resultant mixture at a reduced velocity and in an upward direction through a iltering medium. I may pass the vapor through the filter arid then supply the air, or I may add the air before and after the filtration process takes place, and I believe that I am the first in the art to perform this process. To the best of my knowledge and belief, prior to my invention, the intermingling of crude oil vapor and air, and a separation ofthe heavier ingredients by gravity, and a subsequent iltration has never been successfully accomplished. g

yIn the drawings of my apparatus but claim as my invention all Ihave shown one form it is understood that I such embodiments and thatlmore thorough ini volatile or modifications thereof as fall within the scope of the appended claims. It is obvious that the conduits 8 and 17 and the tank 9 might be an integral structure, or, in other words that the tank 9 might be merely an enlargement of the conduit 8. Also that, instead of the downwardly turned lportion 14a constituting the bafile element, I may place the element within the conduit 8, or anywhere within the path of high velocity of `the admixture. Such modifications are clearly within the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

lAn apparatus of the class described comprising means for causing an admixture of air and oil vapor, a conduit for conveying said mixture, a settlinfr chamber carrying a filtering medium and communicating with said conduit, and means for varying the distance between said medium and the point of communication between said chamber and conduit.

'2. An apparatus adapted for attachment to a gas engine of the class described comprismg a conduit adapted to convey an admixture of air and oil vapor, at a relatively high velocity, an adjustable filtering :medium in the path of said mixture, and means for reducing the velocity of said mixture before it reaches said medium.

3. An apparat-us of the class described comprising a conduit adapted to convey an admixture of air and oil vapor, an en` larged chamber in the path of said vmixture and communicating with said conduit, an adjustable filter in sai-d chamber, and means for varying the distance between said filter and the point of communication between said conduit and` said chamber.

4. .An apparatus of the class described comprising a conduit, means for causing an admiXture of lair and oil to pass therethrough, means for partially atomizing said admixture, a relatively large chamber in communication with said conduit', a filter in said chamber, and means for varying the distance between said filter and the `point of communication between said chamber and said conduit.

5. An apparatus of the class described comprisinga conduit, means for causing an admixture of air and oil to pass therethrough, a baille element'in the path of said admixture, a relatively large chamber in communication With said conduit, a filter inl saidchamber, and means fo'r varying the distance between said lter and the point of communication between said chamber and said conduit.

6. An apparatus adapted for attachment to a gas engine of the` class described comprising av conduit adapted to convey an admixture of air and oil vapor, at a relatively high velocity through said conduit, an enlarged portion of said conduit, whereby the comprising a restricted conduit, an enlargement thereof, an adjustable filter in said enlargement, and a baffle element between said filter and said restricted portion.

8. An apparatus of the class described comprising aconduit, adapted for attachment to a gas engine wherebyv a mixture of air and oil vapor may be caused to pass therethrough 'at a relatively high velocity, means for reducing the velocity of said mixture, and an adjustable filter in the conduit, beyond the point of reduction.

'Y 9. An apparatus of the class described comprising a conduit, adapted for attachment to a gas engine whereby a mixture of air and oil vapor may be caused to pass through said, conduit at a relatively high velocity, a baffle element in the path of high velocity, means for reducing the velocity of said mixture, and an adjustable filter in the conduit, beyond the point of rcduction. K

10. An apparatus of the class described com risino means for mechanicall va or` e y izing the oil under pressure, means for add- '9 ing air to the vapor, a settling chamber, 'a

conduit for conveying the admiXture thereto, an adjustable filter in said chamber, and

through which at least a portion of the admiXture passes, and means for conducting the filtered vapo-rs to the point of combustion.

11. An apparatus of theclass described comprising means for vaporizing the oil, means for automatically adding air to the vapor, a settling chamber, a conduit for conveying the `admiXture thereto, an adjustable filter lin said chamber, and through lwhich at least `a portion of the admixture passes, and means for conducting the `filtered vapors to the point of combustin.

12. An apparatus of the class described comprising means for vaporizing the oil, means for adding air tothe vapor, an adjustable filtering medium, means for conducting at least a portion of the admixture through said filtering medium, means for adding more air to the filtered vapor and means for conductingl said vapor to the point of combustion.

13. An' apparatus ofthe class described comprising a conduit, an elevated tank havinga downwardly extending oil outlet pipe opening into said conduit, a sea-led chamber surrounding a portion of saidpipe, means for heating said chamber whereby the oil 1n the pipe is vaporized, means in the conduit for adding air to the vapor as it issues from the pipe, an enlarged portion of said conduit, an adjustable filtering medium in p ortion,

, engine motor, the

saidl enlarged portion, and means pr causing the admixture to pass into said enlarged and at least a part thereof through said filtering medium tothepoint of. combustion. I

.14. An apparatus adapted for attachment to a gas engine comprising means for causing an admixture of air and oil vapor, a

yrestricted conduit adapted to conveyy said admixture, a settling chamber, a filter in said chamber, and means for varying, proportionately to the speed and powerof the distance of said filter l from the point of entrance of said admiX- l ture into said chamber. 7

15. An apparatus .of the class described comprising an elevated oil tank, a pipe leading therefrom, a container surrounding a ortion of said pipe, a.. conduit into which said pipe enters, said conduit being provided with a downwardly turned portion constituting a Vbaffle element, a chamber into' which said conduit enters, and an adjustable ilter in said chamber, substantially as described.

16. A11 apparatus of the class described comprising an elevated oil tank, a pipe leading therefrom, a container surrounding a portion of said pipe, a conduit into which said pipe empties, a valve entering into said pipe and automatically adding air under pressure, a baille element in said conduit, an enlarged chamber into'which said-conduit leads, and an adjustable ilter in'said chamber.

17. An apparatus of the class described comprising a conduit adapted for attachment to a gas engine and to convey a mlxture of air and oil vapor, a iltering chamber into which said conduit empties, and an adjustable lter' above and asettling reser- Voir below the point of entrance of said conduit into said chamber.

In testimony whereof l aliiX my signature 'in v'presence of two witnesses.

` ciniRLEs` vivioN STUART.

Witnesses:

NoMAN NATHANIEL THOMPSON, CHARLES LEA NEELY. 

